Schultz Defends his Incompetence by Blaming Others

“Property crime is up, the Department of Justice is here, APD is below 1,000 officers, there are only seven cadets in the current academy class, 911 response times are up, APD has lost over $30,000,000 of taxpayer dollars and counting in (police misconduct) lawsuits (since 2002,) and (a police union) survey says the officers don’t have faith in Chief Schultz” –Retired APD Sergeant Dan Klein

“It does raise the question of who was minding the store. There is a great benefit to spending time with others in the law enforcement community and attending conferences, but what did we really get for it? Was Chief Schultz out padding his résumé? Or was he bringing tangible benefits back to the city and the department?”—Retired APD Lieutenant Steve Tate

“The promotion of incompetent supervisors is the rule rather than the exception and numerous supervisors have their current position as a result of lawsuits. Leaders who supported their troops were punished by being passed over on promotions while the meek that followed orders without questions were rewarded.” –Retired Officer Chad Wilder

50% of the officers believe Schultz should be fired, 99% think Schultz is doing a poor job and the reason why morale is down.—APOA Survey

“Well there’s never been a story done on me before. I find it a little suspect. I’ve been chief for 8 years but that’s no problem.” “We are under investigation because of the force encounters in 2010. That’s it.”—(current) APD Chief Ray Schultz. Schultz then dismissed Klein’s criticisms, saying he had no direct knowledge of what it takes to be a police chief [and] that Tate was a “mid-manager” who has been gone from APD for several years and said he wasn’t qualified to assess the work of a police chief.

 

In Monday’s paper, Chief Schultz was confronted with his extensive travel and vacation time over the last couple years. In addition to the data in the report, in at least 16 trips covering over 51 days of travel, Schultz went hobnobbing with others to conferences and conventions. In his interview with the Journal’s Jeff Proctor, Schultz got very animated in his discussion regarding officer body cams, vendor discussions, and technology. For those that have interacted with Schultz, we all know how he gets very excited in talking about how technology will solve this or that. Except that we know ideas are worthless when they are not implemented or are implemented by people that have no skills involving law enforcement (for instance self-anointed “smart police” commander TJ Wilham).

But what is truly stunning, is Schultz’s continued denial of accepting any external criticism. As the above quotes indicate honest concerns relevant to APD current state of affairs, Schultz is more interested in discrediting his very critics. Yet despite all of Schultz’s endless posturing about how he’s implemented 95% of these ideas, or unique approaches, DOJ is very much here investigation a department that is in crisis. About 12 officers have graduated from APD’s new training “university” and there are less than 10 in the current academy. The date for the next academy is unknown. But while new recruits trickle in, officers retire as soon as possible and outpace new hires. A whole class of officers have now been determined to have been targets of discrimination. Crime is up. Costs are up. Lawsuit costs are up. Now we have a fatal accident involving a sergeant over the weekend that already smell bad given BCSO’s PIO putting their thumb on the scale comments about why the sergeant may have been running code (really so a person was killed while he was ATL’ng for a drunk driver…really?). Now even one of Schultz’s protected sergeants is in trouble with a domestic violence related arrest in Sandoval County.

Funny how no other department in the state, or region, seems to have so many daily problems. But Schultz will be pointing the finger at somebody else. But there’s one thing Schultz can’t deny, he knows how to use his time to his own benefit. In 2012, there were 240 working days. However of all those days, Schultz was on “work” out of town for 31 days and took 29 days of vacation. So out of 240 days of work, he spent 180 days, or 75% here in Albuquerque. So 1 out of every 4 days, he was somewhere else….And we all know that while Schultz boasts about working around the clock, there is a rotation of duty chiefs. So even Schultz gets to be off and out much more frequently than he states. And it seems he has a favorite companion….and a future trip already planned……..a revisit from last year’s show it seems:

 

September 19, 2013—New England Organized Crime Symposium& Trade Show
Keynote Speakers: APD Ray Schultz and Karen Fischer
                CLICK TO VIEW BY AGENDA HERE

September 28, 2012— New England Organized Crime Symposium& Trade Show
Keynote Speakers: APD Ray Schultz and Karen Fischer
                CLICK TO VIEW NEWS LETTER HERE

And lastly, Lieutenant (Ret.) Steve Tate responded to Schultz's comments with his usual accuracy:
I would like to point out that this "critic&qu­ot; is concerned with the value of the trips and conferences during a time when APD is involved in turmoil. What do we have to show that improved based on these trips and conferences? They may have been a benefit to the city, but what was the return on that investment? This is a valid and deserved question since tax payer money was used . It is a true embarrassment to the entire police department and community that the DOJ is even in town looking into APD. Do the DOJ investigators happen to be qualified to assess the "work of a police chief" since they most likely were never police chiefs themselves. What a ridiculous response by Schultz to valid criticism. I find it very telling that Schultz's response is to claim that his critics are not qualified to assess his work because they never held the position or have been gone for a few years. This shows how disconnected Schultz is. Who knows what his definition is of "work of a police chief". What does that mean anyway? I would rather focus on his performance as a leader. If we do this, then everyone in the APD, city and entire community is more than qualified to assess his performance. Let's ask if the department is in better shape during his tenure and see what the facts show. Let's ask about department morale......and about community relationships. A real leader would be very concerned with morale since it will ultimately impact how the department is viewed by the community. If you treat your department employees the right way, then you can expect them to treat the community the same way. Is it a coincidence that department morale is at an all time crisis level low and at the same time the DOJ has seen fit to come to Albuquerque? Successful organizational leaders understand this relationship with employee and customer (community) satisfaction and put in place initiatives to ensure they can impact this relationship in a positive and effective way. I find it interesting that Schultz has never proactively created an anonymous employees satisfaction survey to gain insight into department morale. The police union did their own survey and when the overwhelming numbers showed they had no faith in Schultz, what was his response? He attacked the critics just like he did in this case. A real leader would have been very concerned and taken steps to work on that relationship internally. A real leader would not blame everything and everyone else as Schultz had done for his almost 8 year tenure as chief. However, Schultz isn't an effective leader and that is what APD needs now....a leader running APD............­not someone just doing the "work of a police chief". Schultz should have stepped down years ago and when he didn't, Mayor Berry should have removed him. APD and the entire community has suffered because of Schultz's ineffective and plain lack of leadership. Don't take my word for it.....especial­ly since I've been gone for 6 years.....ask anyone currently with APD or that has recently left and see what they tell you.....you will be shocked.

44 Million Reasons to Vote Berry OUT of OFFICE!

The City of Albuquerque which is led by Mayor RJ Berry is exposed by KOAT Channel 7 News (SEE it HERE).   The City of Albuquerque spent 44 million dollars on settlements last year.  This is shocking but Berry and company added “insult to injury” by lying over and over and over again.

The City of Albuquerque first told Channel 7 news reporter, Lauren Zakalik, the City had spent 4 million dollars in settlements and then the City told Zakalik it was 8 million dollars.  After asking a third time, nothing, then the fourth and final time with a set of documents to prove more was spent; the truth came out.  The City spent a grand total of 44 million dollars of your money. 

For most of us, we may never make a total of 1 million dollars through the entire course of our lives. Yet, the City gave out forty-four times the amount of money a person may make in a lifetime, all in one single year.  According to COA Perry; neither he nor the City of Albuquerque knew 44 million dollars was missing out of the City’s check book.

In Zakalik’s interview Chief Administrative Officer, Rob Perry, stated, “Clearly there were more questions than answers,” Here is the City’s CHIEF ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICER admitting he is dumbfounded.  This is the City’s top official who is an attorney telling the world he is not in control of the City and has no idea what the hell is going on in the City.

Want more proof?  Perry continues to state, “I was pretty disappointed, and I want to thank KOAT for bringing about some accountability…”  Does this mean if Channel 7 would never have caught the City’s blunders, nothing would have been known about it?  This administration doesn’t care about you or the community.  The Berry administration is undoubtedly incompetent and ill responsible.

Mayoral Candidate Paul Heh stated during his announcement, “If you were missing $400 out of your account; you would know…Oh no, but not the City; they did not know that 44 million dollars (a tenth) of the City’s entire budget was missing; gone?  Really?”  This statement rang very clean; the City’s failed leadership is not accountable or responsible and they lie constantly.

(SIDE BAR)

The City of Albuquerque under the failed leadership of Berry, Perry and Schultz remind us of a famous quote by Republican President, Ronald Reagan:

'Government is like a baby. An alimentary canal with a big appetite at one end and no sense of responsibility at the other.'
Ronald Reagan

This is a perfect description of Berry’s failed leadership of the City of Albuquerque.

(END SIDE BAR)

 Mayor Berry is playing a cheap game of trying to make everyone sweat it out.  Berry is not going to seek public assistance.  He has his wife’s money and the entire BIG DOLLAR political machine who will stuff his pockets full of cash like some cheap topless table dancer.  Berry will announce sometime around April.  This will block other candidates from having equal media time.

Folks, we did not make this up, we all need to stand up and VOTE for Paul Heh for Mayor.  Let’s clean up this mess by placing a responsible and accountable leader like Heh into office.

 

FINALLY; A CANDIDATE WHO CAN WIN! MEDIA RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February 8, 2013
Contact: Paul Heh   (505) 459-5545

Paul Heh Announces Mayoral Candidacy

Albuquerque, NM— In the days of community-oriented policing, officers would often have “field briefings” in neighborhoods needing a strong presence of order. As a retired Senior Sergeant of the APD, Paul Heh will announce his candidacy for mayor with such a field briefing. But this time Paul will hold the briefing at the location of the epicenter of the City’s need for order: City Hall. Please join him and his supporters when he announces his candidacy this Saturday, February 9, 2013, at Noon!

Paul’s platform consists of a restoration to the basic pillars of sound government: Accountability, Efficiency, Effectiveness, Accessibility, Education, and Ownership. “The Berry administration abandoned these basic principles and we are all paying for it. We are paying for it as a city as we see the evidence of his mismanagement: From DOJ’s fully comprehensive investigation into APD, spiraling private sector job losses, stagnant economic growth, and growing city expenses while city employees retire as soon as they can. All of this in a region where other cities have been prospering.”

“Everywhere I go people tell me enough is enough. And I agree. Never have I ever seen such a lack ownership by those who are supposed to be our leaders. If the citizens see this, you can be sure that businesses see this. Having the state’s largest police department being investigated by the Feds is not something that attracts business or families. The Berry Administration’s unwillingness to own self-created problems and its avoidance of accepting responsibility is not something to model to our city’s children. Hiding when the lights get turned on exposing misconduct and cover ups is not conducive to restoring trust with our citizens.”

Paul Heh is a retired police sergeant with over 24 years of experience as an Albuquerque street cop and supervisor. Paul spent much of his career fighting drug crime and DWI offenders. He spent the majority of his career working the graveyard shift arresting thousands of offenders and helping tens of thousands of citizens. Then after work he was in court most of the day making sure justice was served. Paul is not a professional politician and knows first-hand the stresses families endure when faced with financial hardship or family members in crisis.

“I will bring to city hall what it needs most of all: honor and hard work. Enough is enough, we cannot move forward until we accept the reality that most of the problems now facing Albuquerque began on the 11^th floor of city hall, and the 5^th floor of APD’s main police station.”

WE HERE AT THE EYE ON ALBUQUERQUE ARE PLEASE WITH THIS ANNOUNCEMENT.  IF HEH IS ELECTED AND CLEANS UP THE CITY, THE QUILTY OF LIFE FOR ALL WILL GREATLY IMPROVE.  

HAVE YOU EVER SEEN A CANDIDATE LIST HIS PHONE NUMBER WHERE THE CITIZEN MAY ACTUALLY CALL HIM DIRECTLY?  IT'S NICE TO KNOW THERE IS STILL A DECENT CHOICE TO VOTE FOR IN THIS ELECTION!

UPDATE: 02/09/2013 @ 0700 hrs

You may visit future Mayor Heh's website @ http://www.heh4abq.com/ or click HERE.

RIVER OF DENIAL

As states and cities in those neighboring states move forward with economic growth, here in Albuquerque we are stuck in a period of denial. We have a city administration in denial about its failures and a print media that seems to endorse the mayor's incompetence by it's silence. A silence and noticeable absence of criticism it makes one wonder if there isn't something else in play....

Well, we'll get to that story in a few days. But the city recently released it's 2012 financial statement. Since this document is presented to financial types and not general citizens it is full of actual facts and figures. Gone from it are the rosy wishful pictures that the Berry Administration presents in the Albuquerque Progress Report. In the financial statement we see the hard numbers from years past and the current year.

A few weeks ago, KOB-4 ran a story that reported not only is the city losing jobs, but people are moving away from the city in record numbers (READ IT HERE). People are actually moving to that mess known as Washington DC in lieu of Albuquerque! They're moving to Nevada as well!

Well now, despite that fact that other cities who were hit MUCH harder in the 2008 recession are now thriving, Albuquerque is still in the doldrums. As the image here presents, permits for new construction are still going down. In fact they are almost half of what they were in 2008 and not even double of what they were in 2009. Comparing these numbers to years earlier you can see that Albuquerque as a city has virtually ground to a halt in terms of growth during Berry's term.

What is so shocking is that despite the best weather in the Country, an amazing landscape rich in history and culture, and convenient access to anywhere, Albuquerque continues to stagnate. Even Santa Fe is doing well and has seen progress that out paces Albuquerque.

There is only one problem keeping Albuquerque from moving forward: RJ Berry. Between his inability to exemplify true leadership with his city, his employees, and his department directors and the endless fiasco that is APD and Ray Schultz people are weary and see little hope for progress.

Without hope for the future, why bother investing for it today? Maybe the Sherman McCorkles, Jay McCleskeys, and Darren Whites can answer that for their failed mayor. While they are busy worrying about fringe Republican agendas (here's a hint fellas, not only does it not work, but it's antiAmerican) they are missing the very things that matter most to people: the future.

Berry Enterprise​s Suspended

Back in the good old pre-mayoral election days of 2009, there was quite a skirmish going on about R.J. Berry's income. It seems the soon to be elected mayor claimed approximately five sources of income. While the dominant percentage of income came from his wife's company, Cumbre Construction, and its minority granted preferential government contracts.  Mr. Berry also earned income from his own construction company, Berry Enterprises. While it may shock many of our readers to know that before he reaped the benefits of government subsidized business, Mr. Berry actually carried his own hammer and occasionally got splinters while working on job sites. In fact there are many former city employees and officials that remember Mr. Berry when he was looking for work. For those of you that forgot about the skirmish involving Mr. Berry's income here's a link to one of the many stories: (READ it ADMINISTRATIVELY REMOVED) 

Our Eyes now tell us Mr. Berry appears to be washing his hands, for good, from his days as a contractor. You see his own company R.J. Berry Enterprises, Inc. has now folded and no longer holds a valid status with the State's Corporation Commission. With the company's certification in suspended status he may not legally operate the company. Not that this seems to matter for the mayor who has a healthy income from his position as Mayor, a city issued car, and his endless lack of accountability to the citizens for what can only be described as a failed administration. From public safety to employment everything is at the top of the list for worst job performance and effort.  Remember folks, since Berry came into power, Albuquerque now holds the Nation’s record for the MOST JOBS to leave a city in one year.

We wonder, if Mr. Berry is indeed going to take ownership of the mess he created in Albuquerque, why all the delay in declaring his candidacy? Does he want to be last at the table? What advantages does he see in this? Mr. Berry, you are, at least in title, the Mayor of the largest city in the state and a metropolitan area that covers almost half of the state's population. Assert your leadership (or is CAO Perry giving you campaign advise...be careful Mr. Mayor, Mr. Perry has never won an election) Mr. Berry, or perhaps do the honorable thing and step aside and take responsibility for your failures!  Allow a true leader with real leadership to  take over and clean up the disasters you have created.  You really owe the citizens of Albuquerque at least that much.

 

IS the Mayor a "Berry Good Liar?"

Our Eyes are telling us Senior Sergeant Paul Heh (Ret.) is going to run for Mayor of Albuquerque fulfilling his promise.  We have not received an official word from Heh at the time of this posting.


 Below is a re-post from 9/11/2011; this is an open letter sent to the Eye On Albuquerque by what some hope is Albuquerque's future Mayor, Paul Heh.

We here at the Eye would welcome a proven pro-public safety candidate; a person who has the fortitude to handle the City's job crisis, a decimated economy, a ruined police department, an under-funded fire department, a person who the rank and file and the citizens will rally around. 

  It looks like the Liar Schultz and Mayor RottenBerry of RottinHell are all on their way out.  Remeber folks, Mayor Berry promised he would decide if he was going to run for mayor by the end of January; today's date is FEBRUARY 5, 2013. 

We know, it is just another Berry lie; we have grown tired of all the lies that come out of this administration as has the citizens of Albuquerque.  It is time to vote for restoration of our basic services to the citizens of Albuquerque and not Berry Botique.  What good is Berry's Botique if no one has a job or money to see it or enjoy it?  For most this is a "no-brainer" but for Berry; well, you get the picture... 


Heh appears to be a "man of his word," to bad we cannot say the same of Berry.

The Eye received the open letter below from Senior Sergeant Paul Heh (Ret). Apparently there is more to story we have yet to hear. Some say the “eyes are the window to the soul.” If this is true; we will be looking a lot deeper into Berry’s the next time we run into Mayor Berry…We all Know how much this Mayor loves our "Eyes."

To Mayor Richard Berry:

I have tried several times after the election to speak to you regarding concerns I have. You refused to speak to me, stating, “you were simply too busy.” I understand hectic schedules. I worked for APD for over 24 years. I worked from 10:00 p.m. to 8:00 a.m., and then often times spent the entire day in court, only to come home and sleep for an hour, at most. Well guess what Mayor, I am retired and have all the time in the world to email you this letter.

As I am sure you remember I supported you when you were running for Mayor, when you told me you had no support. In case your memory has failed you, let me remind you of a few things: I made radio advertisements for you, I arranged “ride alongs” for you with officers of APD, I had several sit down meetings with you (sometimes weekly at Flying Star), we spoke at least three or four times a week by telephone. I rallied support for you from APD (AGAINST the endorsement of the APOA). I rallied support for you from AFD (long time supporters of Marty Chavez). I rallied support from various city employees. I rallied support for you from court employees, and even attorneys of all fields and party affiliations. I did this because I believed in what you told me. People voted for you because of what they were told, “what you stood for and what you believed in.”

You, Mr. Mayor, told me that upon your election the Chief of Police, Raymond Schultz, would be immediately replaced. In fact, you bolstered the fact that you would clean house from the fifth floor up. This was paramount in getting the support of the rank and file of the police department. Mr. Mayor to say you were disingenuous is a huge understatement and just a nice way of saying; YOU LIED!

The ink wasn't even dry on the ballots and you reappointed Raymond Schultz as Chief of Police. You told me that Public Safety was going to be your main concern and that ALL city employees were very important to you. You have made the Police Department, the Fire Department and City Employees your enemy. You have made a mockery out of Public Safety. You promised you would not fill the Public Safety Director position; you told me you felt it was a waste of taxpayer's dollars. This was a position you promised Darren White in August, three months before the election; yet, another one of your lies. Well Mr. Mayor, I feel you have made your position as Mayor a waste of taxpayer's dollars. I would ask you these questions: How did Darren White work out for you? How is Raymond Schultz working out for you?

You are destroying what I have dedicated 24 years of my life to, which had become a second family to me. I cannot sit silent and watch the good men and women of The Albuquerque Police Department suffer under your inept lack of leadership. In my opinion Mr. Mayor, you have no ethics, no integrity, and you, Mr. Mayor, are without any honor. If you would like to dispute what I have said here, I will happily meet you in any public forum of any time and place. Until then, take a long look in the mirror. That is your soul looking back at you; are you happy with what you see? You can lie, spin, and twist, but your soul knows the truth. Luckily for the citizens of Albuquerque and the members of APD and AFD, we are able to see the truth at last.

You will be hearing from me again Mr. Mayor. I will do everything in my power to make sure you do not get re-elected. I will not allow you to destroy APD, nor will I sit still and sit silent and watch you destroy the City of Albuquerque. If anyone wants to challenge me with what I have had to say, I will not answer anonymous challenges. I will meet anyone face to face in any public forum to answer their challenge.

Paul J. Heh

Senior Sergeant APD, (Ret.)

PROPAGANDA

Over the last month it seems the city has launched a full scale effort to promote a kinder gentler image of APD officers. In recent weeks we've seen press releases (yes they get forwarded to the Eye) and stories in the media profiling seemingly unique and uncommon efforts by APD officers. We've heard stories concerning an officer who covered the bus fair for a man wanting to be with his sick daughter in Colorado, a roadside hug given by an officer to a young boy, and most recently the city's mayor gave a "Hero of the week" award to two officers who drew crime maps and tracked their stats over a given area.

We at the Eye applaud any and all officers who take ownership of their job and embrace the very nature of what it means to be a police officer: to do what's right regardless of who is looking. Police officers have duties that go beyond fighting crime and include emergency response and community caretaking responsibilities. And virtually all officers would simply like to be thanked and left alone to do their job.

However given the sudden momentum in the city's promotion of, let's be honest, daily events for officers, our advice to all officers in the city is be very careful that you are not being played. When the city focuses attention on a given officer for a given event we all know there are endless examples of other officers who have done the same but for whatever reason are abandoned by the city.

Or they simply do their job and do not draw attention to their valiant efforts.

The mayor and the chief's sincerity in recognizing such accomplishment is limited to the moment they are in front of the cameras as many of our Eyes and readers know from first hand experience. The expression "no good deed goes unpunished" is an unwritten rule that is taught to all cadets in what used to be a law enforcement police academy here in Albuquerque. Given the DOJ is now barely ankle deep in their investigation of APD, we expect even more soft feel good measures promoting non-law enforcement actions by officers. One has to questions, why now?